When The King Has Taken
Offence At Any One, Even A Father Dares Not Speak For His Son.
Thus the
king made all the company pay for the Persian ambassador's reward.
The 26th, I went to Sorocolla, the prince's secretary, to get the
promised firmaun; when he sent me a copy as fraudulent and ambiguous as
the former, which I refused to accept. I drew up the clause I so much
disliked myself, which I sent back, and was promised to have it sealed
next day.
The day of the king's removal being at hand, I sent on the 28th to Asaph
Khan, to have a warrant for carriages, as our merchants had sought all
over the town for carriages to convey their goods to Agra, and could not
procure any. As I was enrolled by the king, I received an order for
twenty camels, four carts, and two coaches, to be paid for at the
king's price; of which I appointed for the use of the factors as many as
they needed.
At this time the following incident took place, being either a wonderful
instance of baseness in this great monarch, or a trial of my
disposition. The king had condemned several thieves to death, among whom
were some boys, and there was no way to save their lives, except by
selling them as slaves. On this occasion, the king commanded Asaph Khan
to offer two of them to me for money, which he directed to be done by
the cutwall, or marshal. He came accordingly and made the offer to my
interpreter, who answered without my knowledge, that the Christians kept
no slaves, and, as I had already set free those the king had given me,
it was in vain to propose the matter to me. I afterwards suspected this
were done to try me whether I would give a little money to save the
lives of two children, or, if it even were in earnest, I thought there
was no great loss in doing a good deed. So, to try the scope of this
affair, I directed my interpreter to inform Asaph Khan, that being made
acquainted with the offer, and the answer my interpreter had given, I
had reprehended him for presuming in any case to answer for me; and
that, if any money were to be given to save the lives of the children,
either to those whom they had robbed, or to redeem them from the law, I
was ready to give it, both out of respect for the king's command, and
for charity; but I would not buy them as slaves, only meaning to pay
their ransom, and set them free; and, if he would let me know the king's
pleasure, that I might give them their lives and liberties without
offence, I was very willing to do it.
Asaph Khan agreed to accept the money, making many commendations of my
extraordinary goodness, and said I might dispose of the boys as I
thought fit, desiring me to send the money to the cutwall, yet made no
offer of informing the king, which was one chief purpose of my
liberality.
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